WATER BIRDS. 185 



Wood, who obtained specimens in August, 1890, near the River Rouge. 

 Mr. Newell A. Eddy of Bay City, took two specimens on Saginaw Bay, 

 Sept. 11, 1891, four more Sept. 1, 1893, and several others Sept. 23, 1893. 

 One of those taken in 1893 was examined, and the identification verified, 

 by Dr. T. S. Palmer, of the Biological Survey, Washington, D. C, and the 

 writer also examined two of Mr. Eddy's specimens in November, 1904. 

 Mr. A. B. Covert took a specimen near Ann Arbor, August 15, 1893; Leon 

 J. Cole took one on the Lake Michigan shore, in Ottawa County, August 

 20, 1895, and several more were taken at the same place August 24 to 26, 

 1896, by L. J. Cole, T. L. Hankinson, and W. E. MulUken. Two of these 

 latter specimens are now in the collection of the Agricultural College, and 

 one (No. 24387) in the Kent Scientific Museum, Grand Rapids. There 

 is another specimen of Baird's Sandpiper in the same collection, which was 

 taken in Charlevoix county, September 6, 1879, and Mr. Leon J. Cole 

 informs us that on the back of the original label was written " T. bonapartii," 

 and if ever reported in any list or otherwise it was as the White-rumped 

 Sandpiper. Mr. R. H. Wolcott states that he found Baird's Sandpiper 

 along the river at Grand Rapids at the end of August, 1897, and F. H. 

 Chapin states that he has seen it in Emmet, Cheboygan and Charlevoix 

 counties in August and September. Five individuals were seen on the 

 Charity Islands, Saginaw Bay, two on August 23 and three on August 24, 

 1910 (N. A. Wood, Wilson liulletin, XXIII, No. 2, 1911, 90). J. Claire 

 Wood says it is "common in July and August near Detroit, Wayne county" 

 (Auk, XVII, 390). On the other hand, according to Swales (MS. List of 

 Birds of St. Clair county, 1904), there is no authentic record for St. Clair 

 county. 



In its habits it does not seem to differ much from its near relative the 

 White-rumped Sandpiper, and the descriptions of its notes, food, and 

 nesting habits are more or less confused with those of the latter species. 

 It nests far north, and lays four light buff eggs, thickly spotted with brown, 

 averaging 1.30 by .93 inches. 



Professor Aughey examined the stomachs of five specimens taken in 

 Nebraska in October, 1873, 1874, and found locusts in three stomachs 

 and numerous other insects in all (1st Rept. U. S. Entom. Com., Appendix 

 II, 52). 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Wing between 4.50 and 5 inches; median upper tail-coverts brownish black, the lateral 

 coverts much lighter. Ground color of entire upper parts i)ale grayish brown, often with 

 a buffy tint, always more or less streaked or spotted with dark brown or blackish, the 

 markings darkest and sharpest on top of head and interscapulars, lightest and most diffuse 

 on back of neck; chin and most of mider parts pure wliite or buffy white, tiie throat and 

 chest alone darker buff and sometimes indistinctly streaked with dark brown or blackish. 

 In winter the adult is less distinctly streaked above, and little or not at all below, wliile 

 young birds are distinctly streaked with brown or blackish on the chest and tliroat, ami 

 the scapulars, interscapulars, tertiaries and most of the wing coverts arc sharply edged 

 or tipped with pure white. Length 7 to 7.fiO inches; wing 4.00 to 4.85; culmen .90 to 1; 

 tarsus 1. 



99. Least Sandpiper. Pisobia minutilla {Vicill.). (242) 



Synonyms: Sand-peep, Little Sand-peep, Peep. — Tringa minutilla, Vieill., 1S19.— 

 Actodromas minutilla, Bonap., ISoG, Ridg^v., 188L — Tringa pu.silla, Wils., Sw. and Rich., 

 Aud.— Tringa wilsonii, Nutt., 1834, Baird, 1859. 



Recognizable by its small size (wing less than four inches), toes witliout 

 webs at base, and rump and median upper tail-coverts black. 



